short stories to cover this period simply because I wanted to. No long range plan there. It was just a chance to use some ideas that blended with her world.
But Hutch will complete her training and start her career in
Starhawk
, a novel that I'm currently working on.
RUBIN : In his speech introducing Connie Willis as the newest Grand Master of science fiction, James Patrick Kelly noted that while some authors write short stories and then move into novels, never to return to short fiction, Connie was not one of those writers. She returns to short fiction time and again. So do you, Jack. In addition to the Priscilla Hutchins shorts, you've had several other recent - or fairly recent - short stories appear. There was "The Cassandra Project" in the debut issue of
Lightspeed
a few years back. And more recently you had "Dig Site" and "Listen Up, Nitwits" in
Analog
. Given that you've written so many successful novels, what is it about short fiction that keeps drawing you back?
McDEVITT : The short story seems to be the natural venue for science fiction. Ask someone to name the most memorable pieces of SF she can remember, and you'll probably get things like "The Star," "The Green Hills of Earth," "There Will Come Soft Rains," "Nightfall," "Mars Is Heaven," "The Cold Equations," "To Serve Man," "A Subway Named Mobius." As compelling as many of the SF novels are, you have to go fairly deep before their titles begin appearing.
I'm not sure why this is so. It might be that so much of the power of SF is wedded to the impact delivered by a new idea. Dropping a mini-black hole into the skull of an irritating captain so that he "ebbs and flows to death." Or discovering a superdense moon that orbits Mars three feet off the ground, drilling holes through any hills or mountains that get in its way. "Look out, Louie, here it comes again."
Concepts like these deliver maximum impact in a short story. Surround it with 120,000 words of whatever, even the most compelling story line, and you cannot help diminishing it.
RUBIN : Since we are on the subject of short fiction, I wanted to mention that you recently co-edited an anthology called
Going Interstellar
with Les Johnson. The anthology combines stories by some leading names in the genre, coupled with non-fiction articles about the challenges of interstellar travel. How did this anthology come about and why did you decide to work on this particular subject?
RUBIN : I've known Les for about ten years. He's Deputy Manager for NASA's Advanced Concepts Office at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The idea for the anthology was his: it would use both fiction and nonfiction to look at the issues involved in trying to leave the solar system with technology that's either currently available or probably will be within the reasonably foreseeable future. No FTL. No long-range transport. Take a good book.
He invited me to join as co-editor. No way I could resist that. I'd seen Les's work, and had no reservations about jumping into a project with him. Especially
this
project. Of course we decided immediately that he and I would contribute two of the stories. It was a rewarding experience, and I got to work with some of the field's top writers.
RUBIN : Was
Going Interstellar
the first anthology you worked on as an editor? What was it like being on the other side of the desk, so to speak?
McDEVITT : Yes, it was the first.
I discovered how much easier it is to keep track of one story than eight or nine. But having an opportunity to work with some old friends and a couple of writers I hadn't met before was an enjoyable experience. I hope the book is as much fun to read as it was to put together.
RUBIN : Before we wrap up, I wanted to ask you about your next book.
The Cassandra Project
is coming out later this year and it is a collaboration with Mike Resnick. This, I believe, is an expanded version of your story in
Lightspeed
. Why did you decide to expand the story and how did the collaboration with Mike
But Hutch will complete her training and start her career in
Starhawk
, a novel that I'm currently working on.
RUBIN : In his speech introducing Connie Willis as the newest Grand Master of science fiction, James Patrick Kelly noted that while some authors write short stories and then move into novels, never to return to short fiction, Connie was not one of those writers. She returns to short fiction time and again. So do you, Jack. In addition to the Priscilla Hutchins shorts, you've had several other recent - or fairly recent - short stories appear. There was "The Cassandra Project" in the debut issue of
Lightspeed
a few years back. And more recently you had "Dig Site" and "Listen Up, Nitwits" in
Analog
. Given that you've written so many successful novels, what is it about short fiction that keeps drawing you back?
McDEVITT : The short story seems to be the natural venue for science fiction. Ask someone to name the most memorable pieces of SF she can remember, and you'll probably get things like "The Star," "The Green Hills of Earth," "There Will Come Soft Rains," "Nightfall," "Mars Is Heaven," "The Cold Equations," "To Serve Man," "A Subway Named Mobius." As compelling as many of the SF novels are, you have to go fairly deep before their titles begin appearing.
I'm not sure why this is so. It might be that so much of the power of SF is wedded to the impact delivered by a new idea. Dropping a mini-black hole into the skull of an irritating captain so that he "ebbs and flows to death." Or discovering a superdense moon that orbits Mars three feet off the ground, drilling holes through any hills or mountains that get in its way. "Look out, Louie, here it comes again."
Concepts like these deliver maximum impact in a short story. Surround it with 120,000 words of whatever, even the most compelling story line, and you cannot help diminishing it.
RUBIN : Since we are on the subject of short fiction, I wanted to mention that you recently co-edited an anthology called
Going Interstellar
with Les Johnson. The anthology combines stories by some leading names in the genre, coupled with non-fiction articles about the challenges of interstellar travel. How did this anthology come about and why did you decide to work on this particular subject?
RUBIN : I've known Les for about ten years. He's Deputy Manager for NASA's Advanced Concepts Office at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The idea for the anthology was his: it would use both fiction and nonfiction to look at the issues involved in trying to leave the solar system with technology that's either currently available or probably will be within the reasonably foreseeable future. No FTL. No long-range transport. Take a good book.
He invited me to join as co-editor. No way I could resist that. I'd seen Les's work, and had no reservations about jumping into a project with him. Especially
this
project. Of course we decided immediately that he and I would contribute two of the stories. It was a rewarding experience, and I got to work with some of the field's top writers.
RUBIN : Was
Going Interstellar
the first anthology you worked on as an editor? What was it like being on the other side of the desk, so to speak?
McDEVITT : Yes, it was the first.
I discovered how much easier it is to keep track of one story than eight or nine. But having an opportunity to work with some old friends and a couple of writers I hadn't met before was an enjoyable experience. I hope the book is as much fun to read as it was to put together.
RUBIN : Before we wrap up, I wanted to ask you about your next book.
The Cassandra Project
is coming out later this year and it is a collaboration with Mike Resnick. This, I believe, is an expanded version of your story in
Lightspeed
. Why did you decide to expand the story and how did the collaboration with Mike
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